Air directing louver device



July 21, 1959 A. B. GOE'TTL 2,895,401

- AIRDIRECTING ouvsa DEVICE- Filed Aug. 20, 1957 24 36 .24 I2 36 so -MQi 'ii' 8 28 ii 34' 32 2 'INVENTOR.

RT B. GOETTL AGENT AIR DIRECTING'LOUVER'DEVICE' Albert B; Goettl,Phoenix, Ariz., assignor to International Metal Products Company,Phoenix, Ariz.

Application August 20, 1957, Serial'No. 679,223

Claims. (Cl. 918-410) 1 The present'invention relates *to anairrdirecting louver deviceand more. particularly to an air directing 1louver device having intersecting pivoted slats andimeans for holdingthe pivoted slatsin a'frame and-properly located. withrrespect to eachother...

In. the construction of air directing louver devices employingintersecting notched slats various devices have beenemployed for holdingthe notches of such intersecting slats in mesh or engaged relation witheach other during the flow of air between the. slats. Furthermore: ithas been a problem to provide simple means for holding.

such slats in various adjustedpositions relative to each other andwithin a frame which circumscribes the assem: bly. of the intersectingslats.

According to the. present invention a plurality of intersecting louverslats are provided with. meshing.

notch portions having inwardly directed notch extremities whereinarcuate bearings interconnect the slats. The centers of the arcuatebearings .formpivotalaxes. for the. slats and permit them to pivotwithin the angular limits of. the notches of these slats while thearcuate bearings also provide frictional interengagement of. the. slatsto hold them in various angularly adjusted positions relative to eachother. In addition, the present inven-. tion includes simple means forretaining an assembly of intersecting louver slats and a framemwhichcircunr.

scribes an assembly of the slats.

The present improvements in air directing louver constructionareparticularly adaptedto the: use ofplastic materials which may havesufficient resilience to provide for frictional? loading ofinterengaging arcuateubearings which interconnect the slats at theirintersecting notch portions.

Itis an object of'the present invention to provide an air'directing;louver device wherein .arcuate bearings, at theinner. extremities ofmeshing :notches inintersecting slats, interconnect theintersectingslatsontheir pivotal axes;

Another object of the invention is. to: provide: an

improvednair directing louver construction, particularly for.. useintheyassembly of slats inframes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an assembly of'severalintersecting slats whichqrnay readily be retained in a rectangular frame'bywtwo straight wires which can be longitudinally inserted. in theframe after.

"ice

Fig; 1* is a' fragmentary side elevational view of an? air directinglouver device including a'plurality ofmintersecting slats containedinasubstantially rectangular frame.

Fig. 2 is afragmentary sectional view taken from the! line 22of.lFig-;1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken from the line -3 of Fig. 1"and;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentarytsectiona'l view taken from the line'4--4 -ofFig; 3&-

As-shown-in Fig; l of the drawings the present air directing louverdevice is; provided'-' with i a frame 10 which is substantiallyrectangular and'is provided' with; side elements 12 having flangeportions 14 adapted-to surroundan opening it in which the-frame 10 maybeinserted. The frame isprovided with a plurality of integral spacedparallel slats 16 having substantially V-shaped' notch portions 18therein; These V-shaped notch portions are'provided with arcuate concavehearing portions 20*at their inner extremities and these notches divergeoutwardly to a commonedge 22 of the slats16;'

A- plurality of slats 24 aredisposed at substantially right angles tothe slats 16 andintersect the same. The slats 24 are provided with notchportions 26 having parallel sides which straddle-the slats16 and at theinner extremity of the-notch portions 26 -are arcnatein cross sectioncylindricalbearing portions 28 which are integral with the slats 24:

The arcuate bearings 28 are-engaged in the arcuate recesses of the slatslo and the 'arcuatebearing'portions 20 extend substantially more thandegrees around the arcuatebearing-"portions 283' It will'be-noted thatthe bearings 28 are tightly fitted in the arcuate recesses 20. Theresilience of the plastic materialof the slats 16 at the arcuate bearingportions 20- gripping the bearing portions 28 provides sufficientfriction so that the slats 24, when pivoted within the angular notchportions 13, will remain in adjusted position;

Opposite ends of the slats 24 are provided with arcuate bearing ledges30 which are engagedby wires 32 inserted through thefrarne 10. The wires32 may be inserted through openings in -theend oftheframe 10 and aresupported in-theframe 10by ledges S las shown best in- Fig. 3 of thedrawings. The ledges 34-:are formed by offset portions ofthe sides 12'whichextend inwardly and notches-36 extend" through these offsetportions; It will be seen that the arcuate bearing ledges 30 as shown inFig. 4 ofthe drawings bear against the wire 32and'that thepivotal axesofthe-bearings 28 pass throughthe middle portions of the slats 24 atadistance from the wire'32 equal to half the thickness of the slats 24.

In the sides 12 of the frame 10 arenotch portions 36 through whichthe'ends of the slats 24; at their ledge-- portions 30, maybe insertedwhen the arcuate bearing portions28 are-inserted in the arcuate recessbearing portions 20 of the slats 16. It will be noted that the ledgebearingportions 36; when inserted'in the notches 36 are" forceddownwardly "belowtheledge 34 at the terminus 'of thenotch portions 36,whereupon the" wires 32 may9beinsertedbetWeenthe'ledge'S l and thearcuate ledge bearing 'portions'30 of the slats"24.

In operation-the slats'24 may be" pivoted relative tothe slats16"'within the angular limits of" the V-shapecl notches 18" while thearcnate bearing portions" 20 grip" the arcuate bearing portions 28 dueto resilience of the plastic material in the slats 16. Thus, the slats24 may be pivoted to various angular positions at which they will remainduring vigorous flow of air through the louver slats thus the slats areprevented from buifeting or moving out of adjusted position while air isbeing 3 directed through the louver slats to a location in a buildingroom as desired.

The bearing ledge portions 30 of the slats 24 pivot relative to thewires 32 concentric with axes of the arcuate bearing portions 28. Thewires 32 hold the slats 24 in the frame and prevent accidentaldisplacement of'the arcuate bearing portions 28 from the bearingportions 20 of the slats 16; It will be noted that the ledge portions 34which support the wires 32 are opposed to the arcuate bearing portions20 so that the wires 32 oppose the displacement of the bearing portions28 from the arcuate concave recess bearing portions 20. Thus, the wires32 in engagement with the arcuate ledge bearings 30 of the slats 24 holdthem securely in a position wherein the arcuate bearing portions 28cannot be displaced from the concave arcuate bearing recess portions ofthe slats 16.

It will be noted that the wires 32 being straight and insertable underthe ledge 34 of the frame provide a very simple means for securelyassembling the movable slats in the stationary slats of the louverdevice. The bearing portions 28, which are resilient, are snapped intothe concave arcuate bearing portions and provide a very simplearrangement for initial assembly of the louver slats in intersectingrelationship with each other. The arcuate bearing portions and 28securely interengage each other and maintain a sufliciently closealignment of the ledge bearing portions 30 relative to the ledges 34 ofthe frame so that the wires 32 may readily be inserted withoutdifiiculty. Ends 38 of the wires 32 which are foremost when projectedinto the frame may be sharpened so they readily thread their way by thebearing ledge portions 30 of the slats 24 and the ledge 34 adjacent tothe ends of the notches 36 to abridge the same and to preventdisplacement of the slat bearing portions 30 therethrough.

Various modifications of the present invention may be resorted to in amanner limited only by a just interpretation of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a louver slat and frame construction the combination of: a framehaving a side member provided with an inwardly offset portion forming aledge; said inwardly offset portion having notches extendingtherethrough and disposed to receive the ends of slats when inserted insaid frame; slats pivotally disposed in said frame and having arcuatebearing portions at their ends and disposed adjacent said ledge; and aholding member engaging said ledge and bridging said notches, saidholding member disposed between said ledge and the bearing portions ofsaid slats to prevent displacement of said bearing portions through saidnotches and means retaining said slats adjacent to said holding member.

2. In a louver slat and frame construction the combination of: a framehaving opposed side members each provided with an inwardly offsetportion forming a ledge; each of said inwardly offset portions havingnotches extending therethrough and disposed to receive the ends of slatswhen inserted in said frame; first slats pivotally disposed in saidframe and having arcuate bearing portions at their ends and disposedadjacent said ledge; and a holding member engaging said ledge andbridging said notches, said holding member disposed between said ledgeand the bearing portions of said slats to prevent displacement of saidbearing portions through said notches; second slats angularlyintersecting said first slats and supported in said frame, said firstslats held adjacent said second slats by means of said holding membersupported on said ledge and retaining said bearing portions of saidslats.

3. In a louver slat and frame construction the combination of: a framehaving opposed side members each provided with an inwardly offsetportion forming a ledge; each of said inwardly offset portions havingnotches extending therethrough and disposed to receive the ends of slatswhen inserted in said frame; first slats pivotally disposed in saidframe and having arcuate bearing portions at their ends and disposedadjacent said ledge; and a holding member engaging said ledge andbridging said notches, said holding member disposed between said ledgeand the bearing portions of said slats to prevent displacement of saidbearing portions through said notches; second slats angularlyintersecting said first slats and supported in said frame, said firstslats held adjacent said second slats by means of said holding membersupported on said ledge' and retaining said hearing portions of saidslats, said second slats fixed in said frame and having V-shape'dnotches within which said first slats are pivotally disposed.

4. In a louver slat and frame construction the combination of: a framehaving opposed side members each provided with an inwardly offsetportion forming a ledge; each of said inwardly offset portions havingnotches extending therethrough and disposed to receive the ends of slatswhen inserted in said frame; first slats pivotally disposed in saidframe and having arcuate bearing portions at their ends and disposedadjacent said ledge; and a holding member engaging said ledge andbridging said notches, said holding member disposed between said ledgeand the bearing portions of said slats to prevent displacement of saidbearing portions through said notches; second slats angularlyintersecting said first slats and supported in said frame, said firstslats held adjacent said second slats by means of said holding membersupported on said ledge and retaining said bearing portions of saidslats, said second slats fixed in said with an inwardly offset portionforming a ledge; said.

inwardly offset portions having notches extending therethrough anddisposed to receive the ends of slats when inserted in said frame; slatspivotally disposed in said frame and having arcuate bearing portions attheir ends and disposed adjacent said ledge; and a holding memberengaging said ledge and bridging said notches, said holding memberdisposed between said ledge and the bearing portions of said slats toprevent displacement of said hearing portions through said notches, saidarcuate bearing portions of said slats having a radius equal to one halfthe thickness of the slats; and means retaining said slats adjacent tosaid holding member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,034,231 Fox Mar. 17, 1936 2,626,556 Davies Jan. 27, 1953 2,630,053Kennedy Mar. 3, 1953

